Argentina shattered England's World Cup dreams in Atlanta, scoring two late goals to come from behind and knock out Thomas Tuchel's side in a dramatic semi-final. Anthony Gordon had given England an early lead, but Enzo Fernandez's long-range strike and Lautaro Martinez's stoppage-time winner turned the game on its head.
The defeat was all the more painful because England had been the better side until the last drinks break, according to Kári Tulinius in The Guardian. But Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane 'left almost no trace' in the final stages, and the memory of Bellingham's earlier heroics risks being swept under by the narrative of collapse.
“Argentina score two late goals to beat England 2-1 in World Cup semi-final, sparking questions over Thomas Tuchel's future.”
Tuchel's decision to switch to a 5-4-1 formation, sending on defensive duo Dan Burn and Nico O'Reilly to preserve the lead, backfired. England dropped deep and invited pressure. Former World Cup winner Iker Casillas launched a scathing attack on the approach. 'They score the goal and drop back. A cowardly approach,' Casillas posted on his verified X account. 'They haven't ventured out of their own half and have allowed [Argentina] to push forward more. The inevitable happens.'
Jordan Pickford was forced into several fine stops before Alexis Mac Allister twice hit the woodwork with headers against each post. England had beaten DR Congo, co-hosts Mexico and Norway to reach the semi-finals, but could not hold on against the reigning world champions.
Captain Harry Kane admitted there was a 'missing piece' in England's approach. Speaking to BBC One, Tuchel said: 'We're disappointed, we were so close but we got too passive after we scored and conceded a lot of chances. We could not turn the ball possession around and then conceded so many crosses, chances and shots.'
It is the third time in four tournaments that England have reached a major semi-final, but only once have they made the final – against Spain at Euro 2024. Now Tuchel's position is under scrutiny. The Standard asks: Will Thomas Tuchel be sacked after England's World Cup defeat?
